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Mobile Home Pipes Frozen: What to Do and How to Prevent It

Updated November 1, 2026 · General information, not plumbing or legal advice

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If your pipes are frozen now

1. Find your master water shut-off and make sure everyone in the home knows where it is (Independence, Missouri water department). Be ready to close it if a pipe bursts when it thaws.
2. Open the faucet on the frozen line. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says water will begin to flow as you treat the frozen area, which helps melt more ice. Note that Independence says not to leave a faucet running during thawing because pipes may burst and flood the home. The sources disagree here. Whichever you choose, keep a hand near the shut-off.
3. Apply heat to the frozen part. Texas A&M lists a heating pad, electric hair dryer, portable space heater, or towels soaked in hot water. Independence says a hair dryer, space heater or heat tape are safer than flame, and not to heat just one spot on the pipe.
4. No open flame, and no electricity near standing water. Texas A&M says blowtorches, kerosene or propane heaters and charcoal stoves are a fire hazard and release lethal carbon monoxide. Independence says not to use electrical appliances in standing water.
5. If you can't find, reach or thaw it, contact your landlord or a plumber (Independence, Texas A&M).
6. After it thaws, look for leaks. Texas A&M says the frozen pipe may already be broken and will leak when thawed. Repair any broken pipes promptly before turning the water back on (Independence).

How to prevent it

• Skirting. Independence says to make sure skirting is in place. Washington's installation rule requires skirting around the whole perimeter, with covered vents.
• Protect the supply line. Washington's rule says water piping must be protected against freezing in line with the manufacturer's installation instructions, or by a heat tape listed for use with manufactured homes and installed to the tape maker's instructions. Check your own home's manual and your state or local rules.
• Insulate. Independence says pipes under a trailer can be insulated or wrapped with heat tape, and to insulate exposed pipes and unheated areas.
• Drip in extreme cold. Independence says that in sub-zero periods, if you have had problems before, you can let a thin stream of water run from the highest faucet, but only if the pipes are not already frozen.
• Never use antifreeze in household water pipes. Independence says chemicals can contaminate the water supply.
• Away for a while? Independence says to shut off the water and drain the system.

Heat tape: use it safely

Foremost, an insurer writing for manufactured and mobile home owners, gives these rules. Check with the tape maker and your home's maker too. Electrical work should be done by a licensed professional, and local codes apply.

• Use automatic, thermostat-controlled tape. Foremost says that if your supply piping is plastic, use only that kind. It says non-automatic tape can damage plastic pipe.
• Check for leaks first. A slow leak can damage insulation and short out the tape.
• Never cross the tape back over itself. Foremost calls this a real fire hazard.
• Fasten it with electrical tape, not wire, then cover it with pipe insulation or jacketing. Foremost says not to use tape over thermal insulation or near flammable materials, or at a 90-degree bend.
• Plug it into a GFCI receptacle (typically near the water inlet under the home). Foremost says not to use an extension cord.
• Inspect it at least once a year. Foremost says older tape may crack.

For other pipe protection, see our heat tape and pipe insulation guide.

Common questions

Why do mobile home pipes freeze so easily?

The pages we opened do not explain the cause. Independence, Missouri's water department lists the space under the trailer as a place pipes freeze and says to make sure skirting is in place. Foremost, an insurer, says the freshwater supply lines of manufactured and mobile homes are exposed to freezing temperatures.

What is skirting for?

Washington's installation rule requires a manufactured home to have skirting around its entire perimeter and, when the maker's instructions aren't specific, vents covered with corrosion-resistant mesh. Independence's water department says that for mobile homes you should make sure the skirting is in place. Neither page explains why in detail.

Can I use heat tape on a mobile home?

Foremost says yes, but with care: use automatic, thermostat-controlled tape (only that kind on plastic supply pipe), never cross the tape back over itself because that creates a real fire hazard, plug it into a GFCI receptacle and do not use an extension cord. Washington's rule says heat tape must be listed for use with manufactured homes and installed to the tape maker's instructions.

Should I leave the faucet running when thawing a frozen pipe?

The sources disagree. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension says to keep the faucet open so water flows as you melt the ice. Independence's water department says not to leave a faucet running during thawing because pipes may burst and flood the home when they thaw. Whichever you do, know where the master valve is and be ready to shut it.

What if I can't find or thaw the frozen section?

Independence's water department says to contact your landlord or a plumber. Texas A&M says to call a licensed plumber if you can't locate the frozen area, can't reach it or can't thaw it.

Related guides

• How to thaw frozen pipes
• Heat tape and pipe insulation
• How to prevent frozen pipes